Starting Out: a fresh boost for gay students and jobseekers

Starting Out – supported by Credit Suisse – features profiles of 425 employers from sectors including banking, defence, retail and local government. All the employers listed are members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, and are committed to making their workplaces gay-friendly. The guide is targeted at the 150,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual students in Britain, as well as all discerning jobseekers and graduates.

Colleen Humphrey, Stonewall Director of Workplace said: ‘We know people perform better when they can be themselves, and the number of employers featured in Starting Out shows they know this too. Every employer featured is eager to recruit the very best in lesbian, gay and bisexual talent. They all know that creating a fully supportive and inclusive work environment makes sound business sense because when staff achieve their full potential, businesses clearly benefit.’

Stonewall is holding a launch event tonight– supported by Square Peg Media – which will be attended by students from across Britain along with representatives from employers featured in Starting Out.

15,000 copies of Starting Out are being distributed to students’ unions, university career services, employment agencies and university lesbian and gay societies and sixth forms across Britain. Job seekers can also access an interactive Starting Out online, which includes current jobs vacancies from Stonewall’s jobs site Proud Employers – helping jobseekers quickly identify the opportunities they are interested in.

Starting Out is available online at www.startingoutguide.org.uk Free copies are also available by contacting Stonewall’s freephone InfoLine: 08000 50 20 20.